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Quiet Mooring - What would YOU do?

Loafer

By Loafer
in General Boating

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Loafer Veteran

Loafer

Posted
Posted

Here's the scene:

 

You are cruising happily along a canal, this time of year or even later, and there are hundreds of yards of empty mooring opportunities in the vicinity. After a while you come across a lonely moored boat in the middle of nowhere, with vast expanses of mooring space either side.

 

Do you:

 

a) Moor up real close to the lonely boat, and then sit gas-bagging on your cruiser stern all afternoon, or

 

B) Keep going until you feel that you have left the (clearly peace-loving) moored boat plenty of peaceful space

 

c) Not give any thought either way, doesn't even occur to you that privacy was entirely possible for both boats, never gave it a thought.

 

d) any other option.

 

Mrs Loafer and I often go to great lengths (!) to moor in places where no-one else does, either because it's too difficult or there's nothing there. The number of times that the 'British Beach Mentality' takes over some boaters is extraordinary - 'Ah, there's a boat. Must be nice there. Let's moor there too' - sort of thing. I couldn't possibly do that myself, and am quite apologetic if I am forced to tie up within 50 yards of another boat in the sticks.

 

Is it just me? Am I just SUCH an anti-social git that I am becoming twisted? (I'm NOT anti-social, I have never been AGAINST socialising, I just don't want to do it myself, often!)

 

Views, anyone?

 

PS I do understand the freedom thing, and it's everyone's right to moor wherever they're allowed. One miserable old bloke moored up against us, fender to fender, on the Ashby last year and almost bumped us. When asked if he'd mind leaving us some 'space' by choosing some other part of the 700m-long, empty stretch, he just said 'It's a public mooring, and I've a right to moor here'. When I said 'Oh well, I guess I'LL have to move then', he said 'You can do what you like'.

 

Am I in the minority here, respecting privacy when possible?

 

(That last grumpy old sod wasn't YOU, was it?)

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ROBDEN Rising Star

ROBDEN

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Posted

No it's not just you.

 

We moor in the middle of nowhere with plenty of space all around and what heppens........someone decides to stop about

two foot from our button.

 

I think that maybe we just seem to stop at the "Stopping Place."

 

It gets on one's mammary glands.

 

Rob....

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Loafer Veteran

Loafer

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Generally I'd go for b, of course. But there are several canals - notably the Shroppie - where I'd think "hallelujah, that guy has found somewhere where you can actually moor up to the bank. I've been looking out for that for the last hour..."

 

The Shroppie doesn't count here because of the very difficulty you mention. I use the Shroppie every year, but don't moor on the easy bits. We'll plank out the stern and stick a car wheel between us and the bank towards the bow, which most boaters won't be bothered to do. We actually get more peace on the Shroppie than most other canals!

No it's not just you.

 

We moor in the middle of nowhere with plenty of space all around and what heppens........someone decides to stop about

two foot from our button.

 

I think that maybe we just seem to stop at the "Stopping Place."

 

It gets on one's mammary glands.

 

Rob....

 

It's the most irritating part of canal life for me! Especially if they run generators for hours while they watch telly!

 

Once we DO have a nice quiet mooring, I'm then on the alert almost the whole time, listening out for the sudden application of reverse, followed by the hideous sound of mooring pins being hammered in!

 

(Please note- I am not like this if I choose a VM for any reason)

Edited by Loafer
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ROBDEN Rising Star

ROBDEN

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Posted

Generally I'd go for b, of course. But there are several canals - notably the Shroppie - where I'd think "hallelujah, that guy has found somewhere where you can actually moor up to the bank. I've been looking out for that for the last hour..."

I know of a few places on the Shroppie where there is just enough room for one boat to get in.

I take great delight watching others try to get as close as possible, only to be defeated about four foot from the bank.

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Loafer Veteran

Loafer

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Posted (edited)

I know of a few places on the Shroppie where there is just enough room for one boat to get in.

I take great delight watching others try to get as close as possible, only to be defeated about four foot from the bank.

I'm guilty of the odd smile of satisfaction there too - and probably use the same moorings occasionally!

 

Maybe we should form a 'Grumpy Old Git' group. We could even get together on the same mooring and whinge happily over a bottle of wine! biggrin.png

Edited by Loafer
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Loafer Veteran

Loafer

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but if I don't moor near to another boat who is going to appreciate the 5 albums of Chieftains music I play each evening while accompanying them with my penny whistle unsure.png

 

There's another thing - 'whistlers'. Are you one of those people who continually whistles tuneless 'made-up' stuff while pottering around their boat, dropping locker lids and fidgeting all day?

 

NOT YOU John V - the question is rhetorical.

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Loafer Veteran

Loafer

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It doesn't bother me either way...which means I'm probably one of those annoying people who moor up close to you.

 

I really wish I wasn't bothered by it!

Actually the penny whistle is a good method of getting people to change their mind about staying smile.png

 

The missus and I once thought about hanging out babies' nappies to repel boarders, but then realised it would probably attract people with babies to moor right next door!

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Delta9 Experienced

Delta9

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It's not just boaters that do this either, motorhomers also do it. I once parked up in a spot in the Spanish countryside about 5 miles from the nearest paved road. After a while a German plated camper parked up about 6 inches from my rear bumper and then knocked on my door to complain my music was too loud. I had a 1500w stereo system in my motorhome so I demonstrated what loud actually sounded like with some hard techno and he soon left.

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Loafer Veteran

Loafer

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It's not just boaters that do this either, motorhomers also do it. I once parked up in a spot in the Spanish countryside about 5 miles from the nearest paved road. After a while a German plated camper parked up about 6 inches from my rear bumper and then knocked on my door to complain my music was too loud. I had a 1500w stereo system in my motorhome so I demonstrated what loud actually sounded like with some hard techno and he soon left.

 

Unbelievable.

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BEngo Veteran II

BEngoDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

It's easy to discourage 'em. As soon as someone moors up nearby start the generator, get the Mrs. to do some Hoovering and then get the hairdryer out. You can also light a BBQ, upwind, or practise didgeridoo/bagpipe drone technique. Some or all of these are often why we have stopped there anyway.

 

N

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zenataomm Veteran

zenataommDonate to Canal World

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I just ask them if they've come for the dogging.

 

They either go.

Or they ask what dogging is, which is then explained to them. Usually they go or keep themselves to themselves.

 

If they say yes, we turn our lights off and watch them.

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Sea Dog Veteran II

Sea DogDonate to Canal World

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I think you're being quite reasonable, although I'm also pretty sure that few folk will be mooring close just to spoil your peace so I'm not really sure what's to be done. I sympathise though, especially if you've gone out of the way to run your genny or practice the euphonium or when you're seeking peace and you get the noisy bar stewards - but then I have real difficulty understanding inconsiderate people anyway.

 

Different matter where moorings are at more of a premium and we've all had problems where there's, say, 3 boats moored where 5 would have fitted given a bit of consideration. Then perhaps we'd all likely be happy to see bollard sharing.

 

I think you're seeking answers to unanswerable questions. The good thing is, although you perhaps shouldn't have to, it's easy to move away from undesirable neighbours.

 

Mike the Boilerman recently posted that 1 person in 100 doesn't have a conscience - that simple idea has helped me rationalise so much bad stuff that I don't even care if it's untrue! So, don't worry, it's only 1 in 100 that's gonna rain on your parade - most folk'll have a conscience and leave you in peace. :)

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Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

Here's the scene:

 

You are cruising happily along a canal, this time of year or even later, and there are hundreds of yards of empty mooring opportunities in the vicinity. After a while you come across a lonely moored boat in the middle of nowhere, with vast expanses of mooring space either side.

 

Do you:

 

a) Moor up real close to the lonely boat, and then sit gas-bagging on your cruiser stern all afternoon, or

 

cool.png Keep going until you feel that you have left the (clearly peace-loving) moored boat plenty of peaceful space

 

c) Not give any thought either way, doesn't even occur to you that privacy was entirely possible for both boats, never gave it a thought.

 

d) any other option.

 

Mrs Loafer and I often go to great lengths (!) to moor in places where no-one else does, either because it's too difficult or there's nothing there. The number of times that the 'British Beach Mentality' takes over some boaters is extraordinary - 'Ah, there's a boat. Must be nice there. Let's moor there too' - sort of thing. I couldn't possibly do that myself, and am quite apologetic if I am forced to tie up within 50 yards of another boat in the sticks.

 

Is it just me? Am I just SUCH an anti-social git that I am becoming twisted? (I'm NOT anti-social, I have never been AGAINST socialising, I just don't want to do it myself, often!)

 

Views, anyone?

 

PS I do understand the freedom thing, and it's everyone's right to moor wherever they're allowed. One miserable old bloke moored up against us, fender to fender, on the Ashby last year and almost bumped us. When asked if he'd mind leaving us some 'space' by choosing some other part of the 700m-long, empty stretch, he just said 'It's a public mooring, and I've a right to moor here'. When I said 'Oh well, I guess I'LL have to move then', he said 'You can do what you like'.

 

Am I in the minority here, respecting privacy when possible?

 

(That last grumpy old sod wasn't YOU, was it?)

Happens to us a lot. It is the herding instinct.

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Dave_P Veteran

Dave_PDonate to Canal World

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Posted (edited)

I reckon there's lots of folks who buy a boat and then cruise on it about 2 weeks a year for the first few years. Then they get bored and the boat sits in the marina for a few more years. Then they sell it.

 

There's also a lot of hire boats out there.

 

What this means is that a relatively high number of boats out there are crewed by novices. These novices are genuinely comforted by mooring in close proximity to other boats.

 

It's understandable but annoying.

Edited by Dave_P
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CDS Collaborator

CDS

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Posted

I always try and go for the B option and leave plenty of space.

My boat is 70 ft in length and with so many people cruising in

groups of two or three with maybe a 3ft gap between them mooring

up can be a challenge.I had a bloke once tie his bow onto my tiller

as he had lost a mooring pin didn't even ask permission .

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